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EVENTS
White people are delegitimising the Standing Rock protests
There have been numerous reports that White protestors at Standing Rock are treating the protest like a festival, involving drugs, alcohol and little respect for tribal elders. Social media reports have also claimed that people are turning up for their own ‘cultural experience’ instead of demonstrating for the native community.
‘White people are colonizing the camps. I mean that seriously. Plymouth rock seriously. They are coming in, taking food, clothing and occupying space without any desire to participate in camp maintenance and without respect of tribal protocols.’ One user wrote on Facebook.
‘These people are treating it like it is Burning Man or The Rainbow Gathering and I even witnessed several wandering in and out of camps comparing it to those festivals’
For those of you who aren't familiar with all of the "spiritual journey" white folks who have been showing up to camp: pic.twitter.com/K6e29i73ge
— Hvlpvtvlke Hokte (@sydnerain) November 23, 2016
let your "follow me on snapchat" ass friends know pic.twitter.com/3Foxys9l8d
— american eidolon (@minkahunter) November 7, 2016
There are worries that the influx of protesters not committed to the cause could delegitimise the protest, with this sort of negative publicity being played on by far right media outlets.
The Standing Rock protest has been on going since April as thousands of protesters have gathered to stop a proposed oil pipeline being built across land that is sacred to the U.S’s Native American population.
There are now appeals for people to act within accordance of Sioux tribal laws when attending the protests.
